 1. The Cubs are close to clinching the NL Central Division:
The Cubs have won 10 of their last 12 games and are at least three
games ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers with six games to play. And the
Cubs face the worst team in the National League this week in the
Florida Marlins (a team that is drawing about 5,000 fans per game in
Miami). Lou Pinella has his starting rotation in order to close the
season, and finally the Cubs are healthy. Alfonso Soriano leads the
majors in home runs for the month of September, and the Cubs check
in at a season-high 10 games over the .500 mark at 83-73. Let's
don't jinx the North-siders by counting our chickens before they are
hatched, but it's beginning to look a lot like playoffs! Just keep
the Billy Goats and the Bartman away from the Friendly confines.
2. The Cardinals are in position to help the Cubs clinch the NL
Central Division: Three weeks ago, the Cards were one game out
and looked ready for an exciting final month of baseball. Injuries
and bad luck caught up with the 2006 world champs, however, and they
promptly lost 14 out of 16 and found themselves eliminated from the
playoff chase. Now, however, they invade the land of the Suds and
have a chance to help their friends from Chicago by taking down the
Brewers. And while the Cards will miss the playoffs for the first
time since 2003, there is much drama playing out by the mighty
Mississippi -- where fans and players alike wonder if Tony LaRussa
is close to managing his final game with St. Louis.
3. Illinois football wins their Big Ten opener for the first time
since Lou Tepper was coach: You need to go back to 1993 and Lou
Tepper's second Illini team to find one that was victorious in their
conference opener. That year, Illinois started 0-3 despite having
one of the best defenses in all of college football, but beat Purdue
in their Big Ten opener and finished the conference schedule with a
5-3 record -- falling just one game short of a bowl. This year,
Illinois went to Indiana and took down the Hoosiers 27-14 --
although Illinois really dominated the game and probably should have
won by four or five touchdowns. The defense was solid, the offense
really looked good at times, and Illinois is ready to welcome Penn
State to Chambana on Saturday in their quest for their fourth
straight win.
4. Rashard Mendenhall was the Big Ten player of the week: How
does 27 carries for 214 yards, along with a rushing and receiving
touchdown, sound to you? Not bad -- eh? This effort earned
Mendenhall conference offensive player of the week honors, and he is
currently being considered for national player of the week as well.
Teammate Will Davis won defensive player of the week honors in the
conference as well, thanks to his four sacks. Mendenhall, the junior
from Skokie, is really fun to watch and looks ready carry this
year's Illini to the six win barrier -- and beyond!
5. Jerrance Howard is the newest assistant coach for Bruce Weber:
"Snacks," as he is lovingly referred to, was one of Brian Cook's
best friends and teammates at Illinois. Howard, though never a
standout on the court, was considered a team leader and played a big
part in keeping Dee Brown from transferring when Bill $elf bailed on
the Illini for the Land of Oz. Some have chosen to criticize Weber
for hiring someone so young and inexperienced -- only time will tell
if the hire is a good one -- but I know no one this side of Jeff
Mayfield who combines a passion for people with a love for the
Illini quite like Jerrance Howard. Here's hoping one of the really
good guys finds success on the slimy and challenging high school
recruiting trail.
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6. The Indianapolis Colts are 3-0 and looking pretty good:
The defending champs look good and ready to take on all challengers.
Even a sloppy effort on Sunday at Houston turned out smelling like
roses for the Colts. Peyton Manning is flat-out the best QB in
football, and second year RB Joseph Addai looks like a young
Marshall Faulk. The Colts are for real -- but hey, you knew that
already!
7. The Chicago Bears are 1-2 and looking pretty bad: Wow --
what a difference a year makes! Last year at this time, the talk in
Chicago revolved around whether or not the Bears of 2006 could equal
the 15-1 mark of the 1985 Bears. Three games in last season and fans
were making their Super Bowl plans. Fast forward to present day --
the Bears look really average at best, and Rex Grossman may well
have played his last game as Chicago QB with an embarrassing effort
on national TV Sunday night against Dallas. But even more troubling
is the way Dallas and the always-dislikable Terrell Owens carved up
the vaunted Chicago D. Bottom line? The Bears aren't very good!
8. The St. Louis Rams are 0-3 and thinking about 2008: Let me
make this short and sweet and sad -- the Rams are a really bad
football team and I can't believe I took Marc Bulger in my fantasy
football draft in the third round. Can we have a do-over, please?
The Rams are bad and might be in the running for No. 1 -- the No. 1
pick, that is, in next year's NFL Draft.
9. Mount Pulaski volleyball is awful enjoyable to watch:
Coach Donna Dulle and crew are at it once again -- winning matches
left and right and showing all of Logan County how the game is
supposed to be played. My daughter and I were able to check out some
action at the annual Fall Festival Tournament in Mount Pulaski on
the 14th and 15th and watched as Pulaski really played well against
some good competition. The Toppers are looking good, and they are
just one of several outstanding volleyball teams in the county that
merit our following. After all, I really believe Logan County is the
volleyball capital of Illinois!
10. Lincoln football missed a great chance to close in on the
playoffs: The Railers were in great shape heading to Southeast
Friday night but lost a heartbreaking 34-20 game against the
previously winless Spartans. It's now gut-check time for the
Railers, as they need to win three of their final four games to make
the playoffs. My gut tells me two things -- first, cut down on the
ice cream and brownies; and second, the Railers have an outstanding
chance to beat Jacksonville, Lanphier and Manual! Go, Railers --
finish the job!
Have a great week, everyone -- who knows, by this time next week,
the Cubs might actually be in the postseason and the Illini might be
4-1 for the first time since 2001.
[Greg
Taylor]
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